Various time, work, and event inventory systems are available for both commercial and private applications. Such systems typically take the form of calendars, address books, time organizers, work/time entry logs, or various combinations of same. Generally, such systems are either computer-based in that they are implemented by a computer program and accessed via a computer, or are paper-based in that they involve recording information in a formatted manner on paper. All systems attempt to provide a user with a systematic and organized means for readily recording and accessing information.
Computer information management systems have the advantage of powerful software-implemented data organizational, display, and manipulation capabilities. Such advantages are particularly important with respect to large quantities of data and with regard to changing or modifying data and information already recorded. Conversely, such systems have the disadvantages of requiring a computer both to record and access information, involve added time in accessing a computer system (i.e. signing on and off the computer, calling up the appropriate software, etc.), and present difficult problems of portability, particularly with regard to out-of-office users.
Manual or paper-based information management systems have the advantage of being portable and most can be carried and used anywhere by a user. Moreover, information can be quickly and easily recorded and accessed by a user without regard to the availability of a computer. However, information recorded on such a manual information management system is difficult to manipulate or reorganize once recorded. In addition, changing such information is inconvenient and is likely to result in an unorganized and aesthetically unpleasing product.
A disadvantage of information management systems in general is that they are inflexible. More particularly, a user is limited to the organization and configuration of the product as purchased. Such systems do not provide for tailoring to the specific organizational needs of the individual user. Consequently, such systems are cluttered with extraneous and unneeded features and such systems do not have the capability to be adapted by the user to include additional features. A need exists for an improved system.